Bill O'Rights...I can offer some things for members to consider:
<b>No "one liner" responses on this thread, please!</b>
Is it improper to discuss what I've put up on this thread, in view of this?
Considering what is in my last post and in this one, is it reasonable to refuse to acknowledge that there is anything uniquely wrong with the dominant party's race relations, when it comes to campaign strategy, political appointment criteria, candidate selection, and it's "message" to African Americans?
By controlling two branches of government and the apointments to the third branch, a dominant political party and it's leadership come under closer scrutiny and much more criticism than they would if there was more balance.
In '98 Republicans controlled only half of one branch...the House, and they leveraged their limited power in an attempt to bring down the executive or to prevent him from governing. If you've voted ...in the thread poll...against any consideration that there was any valid criticism contained in my first post, can you make an argument that there is nothing to consider in my points and references that could influence you to reconsider your initial vote?
Since the following became known, why have you who will probably disagree with what I've posted, left it to me, because of your unwillingness to intiate any discussion of this problem, to emphasize that the time to discuss these poll results and the issues that I've raised is necessary and overdue on a political forum. I know that I'm raising sensitive issues, I took a full day to think about what to post, and I haven't voted in my own poll! If you can rebut my observation that what is happening in the Bush administration with regard to "token" appointments, and in a campaign strategy by the national party organization that presents something like FancyFord.com as reasonable, race neutral campaigning or indicates a Party with a message of INCLUSION to African Americans and to homosexuals, I think that the rest of us would be interested in seeing you do it.
Quote:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...n16rights.html
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Blacks celebrate, criticize president
By William Douglas
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
October 16, 2005
.....An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll last week found that only <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184603,00.html">2 percent</a> of African-Americans approve of the job he's doing, down from 14 percent in the same poll last month and 23 percent in a July survey.
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There is a problem, and because one party dominates, largely due to it's success in executing it's "Southern Strategy", since at least 1964, it falls to supporters of that party to do what RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman tried to do.
If the WaPo had the following point "wrong", what was Reagan's actual intent:
Quote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...nguage=printer
.....The former actor and California governor offended blacks when he kicked off his 1980 general election campaign by promoting "states rights" -- once southern code for segregation -- in Philadelphia, Miss., scene of the murder of three civil rights workers 16 years before.....
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What was RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman concerned enough about to do as reported here:
Quote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...071302342.html
RNC Chief to Say It Was 'Wrong' to Exploit Racial Conflict for Votes
By Mike Allen
Thursday, July 14, 2005; Page A04
It was called "the southern strategy," started under Richard M. Nixon in 1968, and described Republican efforts to use race as a wedge issue -- on matters such as desegregation and busing -- to appeal to white southern voters.
Ken Mehlman, the Republican National Committee chairman, this morning will tell the NAACP national convention in Milwaukee that it was "wrong."
"By the '70s and into the '80s and '90s, the Democratic Party solidified its gains in the African American community, and we Republicans did not effectively reach out," Mehlman says in his prepared text. "Some Republicans gave up on winning the African American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here today as the Republican chairman to tell you we were wrong."........
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Why was Rush Limbaugh so upset with Mehlman for his comments about the "Southern Strategy"?
Quote:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200507140004
Thu, Jul 14, 2005 6:40pm EST
Limbaugh blasted Mehlman's renunciation of GOP racial tactics: "Republicans are going to go bend over and grab the ankles"
Nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh blasted Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Ken Mehlman's plans to apologize for his party's notorious Southern Strategy at the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Responding to Mehlman's planned renunciation of the race-based electoral strategy, Limbaugh accused Republicans of planning "to go bend over and grab the ankles.".......
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Isn't it kind of hypocritical and dysfunctional to have Claude Allen operating with no advocacy for the interests of African Americans that was ever publicized by the White House, in his five year tenure there as a "top official" (#2 in HHS and then a year as chief domestic policy advisor, with a salary equal to Roves and Andy Card's $161,000...) and then to "trot him out" to "talk to his people", in an attempt to demonstrate to African Americans marching in Washington in mid October, 45 days after Katrina, that Bush had ""one of them" in his "inner circle", who could now reassure them by mouthing a "plug" for his boss. At the time, Bush's approval among African Americanc had plummetted from 23 percent in July, to just 2 percent, 3-1/2 months later. If the following isn't a glaring example of tokenism, how would you describe it?
Quote:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniont...n16rights.html
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Blacks celebrate, criticize president
By William Douglas
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE
October 16, 2005
.....An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll last week found that only 2 percent of African-Americans approve of the job he's doing, down from 14 percent in the same poll last month and 23 percent in a July survey.
The September poll revealed that most African-Americans believe race played a major factor in the federal government's response to Katrina. Asked if the Bush administration would have responded more quickly to Katrina if the affected area were a more affluent white suburban community, 52 percent of African-Americans said they strongly agreed with the premise while 18 percent said they agreed somewhat.
Claude Allen, Bush's domestic policy adviser, said the president is responding to the needs of African-Americans in New Orleans and other Gulf Coast regions severely damaged by Katrina.
<b>Just the mere fact you have pictures of the president on TV embracing grieving mothers, embracing pastors of churches that have been destroyed," Allen said. "That speaks about the personal character of our president, who is truly concerned about healing our nation.</b>
Allen said Bush is working to ensure that more minority firms receive contracts in the Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts. But he stressed that minority companies will not get contracts as part of a set-aside program that targets them. Instead, Bush will stick to a belief that his polices will uplift the poor, minorities and the undereducated while benefiting the rest of the population.
<b>I much prefer having the opportunity to eat from the whole pie, not simply a small piece of pie that separates me based upon my race," said Allen, who is black.</b>
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Claude Allen almost got a Bush lifetime appointment to sit on the second highest court in the land...and, as my last post contained documentation of,
Allen was designated along with "Brownie" to be the co-leader of the White House...and federal government Katrina Disaster Relief response. Were those reasonable appointments, and is it reasonable for a National Poltical party to keep it's chairman, Ken Mehlman, if he is gay, as reported, or it's House rules committee Chairman, David Dreier, described as a gay man in many reports, living closeted, secret lives, because the Party political platform and message leaves them with no other choice, except to resign their offices? Was Claude Allen only permitted to exhibit an advocacy for, and engage in a dialogue with, other Black Americans....in a PR emergency ?
Quote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp...¬Found=true
.....Now, (in 2003) Allen is one of two African Americans nominated by Bush for vacancies on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, a powerful panel one stop short of the U.S. Supreme Court that handles cases from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas. Republicans and Democrats have fought for years over the racial and political makeup of the court, which has but one black judge.
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Democrats are no angels, but even RNC Chairman, quoted above, described their efforts to represent African Americans, politically. The ball is in your court if you attempt to post without backing your points. I'll be happy to examine and react to points that show democrats to be part of the problem.
Please try to back your points with references that compete with a level as thorough and reliable as the examples that I've posted. Please show me the courtesy of responding to some of my questions and offer opinions as to the merits and the details of my arguments.